Track & Field

Molly Huddle: History at 5000mHuddle was featured on TeamUSA.org on Oct. 5 for her efforts in breaking the U.S. women's 5000 meter record.

Oct. 7, 2010

NEW YORK -

Molly Huddle is so unassuming, that it's hard to fathom that as recently as August 27 she ran 5,000 meters faster than any American woman in history.

It was four days before her 26th birthday, and the 5-foot-4 runner from the southern edge of New York lined up next to a dozen other women and four pacemakers at the Diamond League final in Brussels, Belgium.

After the first three kilometers, Huddle didn't feel over-taxed; she felt in control, and the plan was to run the second half of the race faster than the first. With one lap to go, she looked at the clock.

To hit Shalane Flanagan's three-year-old record, she figured she needed to run the last 400 meters in about 70 seconds. She kicked as hard as she could and crossed the line in 10th place.